Dessert Wines - Fortified Wine Production Dessert Wines Wine Links Dessert Wines - Fortified Wine Production There are numerous types and styles of fortified wine. All involve the addition of grape spirits to still wine to increase the total percent of alcohol in solution above a 15% threshold. Many involve adding this spirit before the still wine is finished fermenting, leaving a high percentage of residual sugar, making a sweet, and fortified wine (i.e. Port). Others involve adding a sweetening agent during the process to effect a change in residual sugar content if desired (i.e Sherry). The two most popular and well-known fortified wines are Sherry and Port. Dessert Wines Non-Fortified Dessert Wines Sherry Sherry is a fortified wine (white) from Spain that employs three important aspects: aging, controlled oxidation and fractional blending (via the solera). The aging of sherry takes place in one of two ways: Biological Aging � The sherry ages in contact with a film of yeast (flor) that changes the characteristics of the wine by metabolizing elements within the wine and controlling the rate of oxidation. Physiochemical Aging � The sherry is in direct contact with air and its immediate oxidizing effects.

Sherry falls into the following categories: Fino (flor) Manzanilla (A type of fino) Amontillado (flor w/oxidation) The production of Sherry uses the following steps: Pressing � Extracts more of the juice for fermentation and removes pips, seeds and stems. Acidification � The addition of acid (which is a food source for the flor), if required. Settling (debourbage) � Allows for some clarification before fermentation. Fermentation � The conversion of grape juice into wine. Classification (fino/oloroso) � Process of selecting a style of Sherry, based on quality. Fortification (15% fino/18% oloroso) � Addition of neutral grape spirit. Aging � The additional cask aging of the wine. Flor growth (finos) � Biological aging process. Aging (olorosos) � Physiochemical aging process. Solera � The fractional blending of wines to establish consistency of style/type. Working the scales � The transfer of newer wines to older wines to refill the solera. Blending � The mixing of various wines to yield the desired style. Finishing � The addition of a sweetener, if desired.

Marsala Marsala wine is produced on the island of Sicily in Italy in a process very similar to Sherry where the fortification occurs after fermentation and the wine is aged in a set of casks much like a solera. Also, for sweet style Marsala, the sweetening agent is blended into the dry, fortified wine. Port Port wines (and wines called vin doux naturel in France) are fortified with alcohol during the fermentation process to allow the wine to retain considerable sweetness. In the process of making Port, Brandy is added to the fermenting wine after about 72 hours, when the must reaches approximately 13.5 brix of sugar. At this point the wine has a percent alcohol of 20% and a residual sugar percentage of 10%. There are two types of Port: Bottle-aged and Wood-aged. Bottle-aged Port: Vintage - horizontal blend of grapes & vineyards; unfiltered; 10 years maturity minimum. Single Quinta Vintage - blend of many grapes from one vineyard. Wood-aged Port: Ruby Port - Aged in oak 3 years - vibrant. Tawny Port - Aged in oak 3 years - amber.

LBV - Aged 4-6 years in oak - vintage dated. Vintage Character - Aged 4-6 years - cross Ruby Blend. Colheita - Single Vintage Tawny - At least 7 years old. Madeira Madeira is a fortified wine made on the island of the same name off the coast of Portugal. As with Sherry there are sweet and dry style Madeira. However, unlike Sherry, the sweet varieties are made like to the Port wine process, wherein the fermentation is halted with alcohol prior to all of the sugar being fermented. Dry style Madeira is essentially like Sherry, in that the fortification of the wine occurs after a complete, dry fermentation. Another interesting characteristic of Madeira is the heavily caramelized, maderized flavor that is the wine�s trademark. Interestingly, today this characteristic is the result of a baking process that occurs during the aging of the wine in a baking shed called an estufagem. The process was actually discovered as a result of the long sea voyages of the 17th century, where casks of Madeira were shipped in the warm, humid holds of sailing ships for months at a time.

When the Madeira finally reached its destination, it was found to have greatly improved as a result of the slow baking, hence the employment of the modern technique of the baking shed today. Madeira is considered ageless, since the usual factors that destroy a wine, heat and oxygen have already done their worst to the wine during its cask aging process. As a rule, vintage dated Madeira must spend at least 20 years in cask. Younger Madeira cannot be vintage dated. Madeira that is labeled solera will carry the date of the original cask, so a wine that is labeled solera 1815 is wine from blending casks that were first started in 1815. The varieties of Madeira are named for the principal grape variety that goes into making the wine. The varieties of Madeira are as follows: Sercial � Driest style Madeira, more appropriate as an aperitif than for dessert. Verdelho � Medium-dry style, more appropriate as an aperitif or cooking wine. Bual � Dark amber in color with a medium-sweet flavor, best as a dessert wine. Malmsey � Dark amber and very sweet and intense, best as a dessert wine.

*A particular version of Verdelho Madeira that is a very popular aperitif wine is labeled: Rainwater. Vin Doux Naturel As noted in the Port section above, Vin Doux Naturels (VDN) are sweet dessert wines from France that are made in a similar process to Port. Like Port, extremely ripe grapes are fermented to a point where the residual sugar level is approximately 10%, when the fermentation is halted through the addition of neutral grape spirit, fortifying the wine to 18% to 21% alcohol by volume. VDN is made from both red and white grapes, primarily in the South of France. The white versions are typically made from the Muscat grape, while the red versions are typically made from Grenache. Best Known White Vin Doux Naturel Muscat de Beaume-de-Venise Marsala and Mozia - Best of Sicily - Marsala Italy Marsala and Mozia Related pages: Wine Country • Selinunte • Ancient & Medieval History • Timeline • Phoenicians • Sicilian Wines • Carthaginians • Romans • Arabs • Normans What's in a name?

The inclination to identify Marsala's name with the wine produced there is understandable, but wines are usually named for places, not vice versa. This city on Sicily's western coast was founded as a Carthaginian colony in 397 BC (BCE) following the destruction of the nearby settlement on the island of Mozia (Mothia) by the Syracusans. Earlier, the region had been populated by the indigenous Sicanians. Lilybaeum, as it was then known, soon emerged as an important naval base. Its position was ideally suited for that purpose, and the Carthaginians used it as the site for their landings in many of their attempts to conquer the island. Lilibeo was the only major city of Sicily that was not completely Hellenized. The Romans conquered it in 241 BC following the great sea battle that also led to the conquest of Drepanum (Trapani). The Romans called it Lilybaeum. Lilibeo covers a large square area only partly bordered by the sea; the sides facing the mainland were defended by a deep moat and fortified towers.

Lilibeo managed to defend itself against the attacks of the Syracusan tyrant, Dionysius I, in 368 BC and then Pyrrhus, in 277 BC. According to the historian Polibius,, Lilibeo was the stronghold that enabled the Carthaginians to maintain their control of western Sicily during the First Punic War.Throughout years of siege and effective naval blockade, Lilibeo resisted Roman conquest and the Carthaginian troops were evacuated only after the peace treaty ending the war. Under the Romans Lilibeo was the seat of one of a pair of questors in charge of the government of the entire island. Cicero held this post, and in 75 BC, described it as a "splendid city." Due to its strategic position along the commercial maritime routes between northern Africa and the Roman province (Italy) Lilybaeum's economy flourished. Not surprisingly, the sea around Marsala has yielded many ancient treasures. With Rome's decline, Vandals attacked and virtually destroyed Marsala in AD 440. It was already becoming a centre of Christianity. The city maintained its place as a crucial maritime port under Byzantine, Arab and Norman rule.

To the Arabs it was Mars el'Allah, literally "Port of Allah (God)," hence Marsala. Sicily's wine country lies to the east. The region was always known for its fine grapes, but it was the Englishman, John Woodhouse, who introduced the fortified wine business here in 1796, having already developed a similar product (Port wine) in Portugal. The early years of the nineteenth century saw the arrival of thousands of British troops in Sicily to bolster the armies of the King Ferdinando I during his exile from Naples in view of the Napoleonic occupation of the Italian mainland. Many were based at Marsala. This experience was more than sufficient to encourage other firms to follow Woodhouse's example. Ingham, Good and Whitaker had soon founded wine businesses of their own. The Florio family set up a firm in 1831. The grape-growing region extends westward toward Salemi, Segesta and Sciacca. This is Italy's largest contiguous viticultural region, and also one of the largest such areas in Europe. Domesticated grapes were cultivated here long before their introduction (by the Romans) in France and northern Italy.

On a medieval note, the Norman-era cathedral's dedication to Saint Thomas Becket seems appropriate in view of Marsala's English connections. It was probably the first church, in Sicily or anywhere, to be dedicated to this saint, who is commemorated in a mosaic icon in Monreale's cathedral. (Becket's family obtained refuge in Sicily during his exile from England.) The structure itself has been extensively modified, though certain medieval features are still visible. The cathedral museum boasts some beautiful Flemish tapestries from the sixteenth century, commissioned by the Spanish monarch Philip II. Of course, there are Roman ruins in Marsala. In the Cape Boéo area are some interesting archeological sites, such as a villa with baths and colorful mosaics, and the Baglio Anselmi Archeological Museum (on Lungomare Boéo) houses some important finds from land and sea, including a Punic era ship. The Church of Saint John (San Giovanni) was built over a cave converted into a home in Roman times, where Roman mosaic floors can still be seen. Many of of Marsala's older streets have a charming Baroque aspect, though the city is generally rather plain.

The city's most noted role in more recent Italian history was its choice by Giuseppe Garibaldi for his Sicilian landing in 1860, a choice determined in no small part by the cooperative attitude of the British commander who allowed the Piedmontese ships to enter the port, and the bribes that made some of the local officials willing to surrender the city with little more than token resistance. Mozia: This tiny island just off the coast north of Marsala was once the home of the Phoenician colony that was expelled in 379 BC and founded Lilibeo (Marsala). The island's role in the events of Sicily's early Phoenician period (before 600 BC) far transcended its diminutive size. The Phoenicians were a seafaring Semitic people from what is now Syria and Lebanon; they founded Carthage and other Mediterranean coastal communities, such as Motia. Therefore, it was only natural that Motia, and then Lilibeo, should side with Carthage in the wars against the Greeks.

Ironically, the Greeks themselves owed much, including a great deal of their language and alphabet, to the early Phoenicians, despite their later political differences with the Carthaginians. The island of Mozia, which is owned and operated by a foundation established by the winemaking Whitaker family (who built the Anglican Church and Villa Malfitano in Palermo), has a remarkable museum and the ruins of an equally remarkable civilization, complete with a harbor and cemetery. Some of the finds on display in the museum have a distinctly Egyptian influence, while others seem almost Hellenic. Though certain of these items were brought to Motia from Asia Minor, others were made locally, based on "foreign" influences. Mozia and its unique museum provide the visitor with a rare unspoiled glimpse into Sicily's Phoenician past. Mothia itself was founded before 700 BC on the island now known as San Pantaleo in a large lagoon ("Stagnone"). Mothia emerged as one of the most prosperous colonies of the Phoenicians' loose Mediterranean confederation.

The more noteworthy features are the fortifications, a submerged road that used to link the island to the mainland, near Birgi, the cothon (or drainage basin and harbour) and the main sanctuaries, in particular the tophet, where the burnt remains of offerings and sacrifices in honour of the god Baal Hammon were collected. Thousands of carved steles where discovered here, and these are the most convincing evidence of Punic sculpture. The most ancient part of old Mozia's industrial area includes several semicircular furnaces, identical in construction to the more ancient pottery furnaces used in Phoenicia. Historians generally agree that the most more violent attacks of the Syracusan army probably occurred near the northern gate, ending in defeat and plunder in 397 BC. For Visitors: Visitors with particular culinary interests seem to expect a certain local mystique when they come to the place where the world's most famous cooking wine is made. (Marsala wine is also served with desserts.) Though its restaurants offer some excellent cuisine to complement this distinguished wine, the city of Marsala could not be described as particularly exciting. Some of the wineries give occasional tours. Last revision November 2012.

Fortified Wine Production | Calwineries Fortified Wine Production Facebook | Twitter Fortified Wine Production Because fortified wines have over 18% alcohol, they do not spoil easily. This made them particularly important before refrigeration, as they could be shipped large distances and retain their quality. The British played a major role in this trade. Port Production Port is a sweet fortified wine that is made when Brandy is added before fermentation is complete. During this type of Fortified Wine Production, the alcohol kills the yeast cells and stops fermentation before all of the sugar has been converted. Port is made in the Douro Valley of Portugal, but several California producers make wines using similar techniques. Sherry Production Sherry is a dry fortified wine that is produced in the town of Jerez, Spain. Unlike Port, it is made when Brandy is added to a wine after fermentation is complete. Sherry can have residual sugar, but it is added after fermentation and fortification. It is made with a very unique type of Fortified Wine Production. Marsala Production Marsala is a fortified wine made on the island of Sicily. Like many fortified wines, the British were indispensable in importing and distributing Marsala .

John Woodhouse is credited with introducing the wine and Fortified Wine Production technique to the international market. Madiera Production Madeira is from the Madeira Islands off the coast of Portugal. This fortified wine is often used for cooking. Because it is intentionally oxidized during production, it can last for an extremely long time. > Related Articles Other Fortified Wines 2017 Wine Style Awards - The Best Wines Of The Year View all winners Other Fortified Wines So you can learn about the essence of how the different fortified wines are made and the main styles, we’ve assembled this guide for you. - Click on a wine below to learn more about a specific style. Port There is a great variety of lesser-known fortified wines, most of them produced around the Mediterranean coast of Europe, where this winemaking tradition originated from and where the warm climatic conditions allow for grapes to reach high concentrations of sugar. The most notable of these fortified wines include: French Vin Doux Naturels (VDNs) All of the French white VDNs are Muscats. For more information about these refer to the Muscats section of this guide. As a contrast, the other French fortified VDN wines are red, primarily made from the Grenache grape variety.

The main appellations are from the Languedoc-Roussillon region and include: Rivesaltes , Maury , or Banyuls . Mistelles Mistelle (Mistella in Italian, or Mistela in Spanish) is a specific category of fortified wines that has the particularity of being produced from non-fermented grape juice in which alcohol is added, while for most fortified wines the fortification happens during or after fermentation. In France, mistelles are also referred to as Vin de Liqueur. The most famous examples include: Pineau des Charentes from the Cognac area , Floc de Gascogne from the Armagnac zone, and Ratafia from Champagne or Bourgogne (Burgundy). Vermouths Vermouths are fortified wines flavored with aromatic herbs and/or spices. Each vermouth producer keeps his/her recipe original and more importantly secret. The style is particularly popular in Italy, the country which the most worldwide-famous brands such as Martini , Campari , and Cinzano . But other European countries like France or Germany produce Vermouths that are consumed more locally. Marsala Marsala is a wine named after a town on the Sicily island of Italy.

It is available in both fortified and unfortified versions, and in a variety of dry or sweet styles such as Fine or Superiore. The main white grape varieties used to produce Marsala are Grillo , Inzolia , and Catarratto . Commandaria Commandaria is a sweet fortified wine of amber color produced on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. It is primarily made with the indigenous Cyprus grape varieties using the white Xynisteri and red Mavro . Sicilian Wine - Best of Sicily. Wines of Sicily. Nero d'Avola, Marsala, Novello, Malvasia and other Sicilian wines. Contact • Follow Sicilian Food & Wine . A simple, practical guide to the en­chanting world of Si­cilian cuisine, with chapters on wines and olive oils, and a few simple, time­less recipes. Real in­forma­tion for real people. (224 pages on acid-free paper, ebook available) Read more. See Sicily with one of our guided Sicily tours almost any week of the year. Enjoy an interesting, well-planned itinerary with a small group and just 2 or 3 hotel check-ins.

Fascinating sights and great cuisine await you. We offer more start dates for tours of Sicily than any other company in the world, and our travel specialists based in Sicily will arrange details like airport pick-up and extra nights before or after your tour. Visit our page for itineraries, details, conditions and plenty of FAQs and other information. Dine in a rustic restaurant, or enjoy rural lodging, hiking, wine tastings, cooking classes and more. Visit our working winery near Alcamo and Camporeale in the hills of Sicily's enchanting wine country. Visit our site for more information. Purchase fine wines from Sicily directly from the winery for sale in your wine shop or restaurant. Sicilian wines for wholesale export anywhere in the world. Food & wine tours of Palermo at your own pace. Discover 30 centuries of delicious culinary history. It's more than artichokes and red wine! Enjoy learning to cook classic, and not so classic, Sicilian dishes with the staff of one of Palermo's finest restaurants. From market to table! Visit our site for more information.

(Above: Fritella, made with fave, artichokes, peas and virgin olive oil) Sicilian Wines 'New' Wines • Restaurants in Sicily Marsala Sicily's most famous wine, Marsala, was first made in the city of that name on the western coast by the Woodhouse firm, which also sold Port. Like its sisters Port and Sherry, Marsala is a fortified wine with an alcohol content of around twenty percent. It is usually made from native Grillo, Catarratto, or Inzolia grapes. John Woodhouse established his winery at Marsala in 1796. Benjamin Ingham founded a competing firm in 1812, followed by Vincenzo Florio, a Calabrian, in 1832. Larger vintners such as these have always dominated the Marsala wine trade, though smaller firms have entered the field in recent years. They've brought a welcome family spirit to the industry, which in the last two decades had fallen under the aegis of larger corporate entities. For more than a century, Marsala was the equal of Sherry and Madeira, if not Port.

By the 1950s, however, it found itself relegated to the kitchen as cooking wine, and competition came from unorthodox quarters, with the introduction in the United States of a watery "California Marsala." In 1986, the Italian Republic's D.O. (denomination of origin or appellation) laws for Marsala were revised to incorporate stricter regulations similar to those which the Portuguese government instituted for Port (a somewhat heavier wine), and Marsala is now resuming its place as a dessert and aperitif wine. Today's Marsala is often divided into three different standards, namely oro (golden), ambra (amber), and rubino (ruby). Some marsala makers prefer to categorise it according to terms used for Port wine, such as tawny. There are both sweet and dry types, and various categories (of which we'll mention just a few). "Fine" is aged for a minimum of one year, while "Superiore" is aged for a minimum of two years (some vintners age it for three years). "Superiore Riserva" (often simply "Riserva") is a vintage wine aged in wood for four years, and sometimes as long as six.

"Vergine" is aged in wood for a minimum of five years (some firms age it in small oak casks for as long as seven years). For cooking, there's even a Marsala made with the addition of egg white (though you probably won't notice this ingredient). Truth be told, there are dozens of kinds of Marsala wine, some unique to certain houses, each meeting particular standards. Some estates age it in oak casks from the 1860s, making your Marsala experience a piece of Sicilian history. (A number of firms produce exceptionally good Marsalas; Florio offers the widest range of types.) Marsala shouldn't be confused with other sweet Sicilian dessert wines of amber colour. Passito, described below, is not a fortified wine. Some pleasant Marsala liqueurs have also been introduced, though they're difficult to find on the market. Florio makes a fine brandy, and several firms make almond-flavored Marsala, best described as Sweet Marsala with a touch of Amaretto, though it's much more than that. Sicilian egg nog (zabaglione) is made with Marsala.

Zibibbo Purists will tell you that Zibibbo is a grape variety that can be used to make anything from table wine to grappa. However, the Zibibbo made commercially by several houses is a strong wine similar to Marsala but fermented and then partially distilled naturally, without the addition of spirits. The process differs also in that Zibibbo is actually made from grapes partially fermented in the sun. It is a very old process, and Zibibbo, though not the direct precursor of Marsala, derives from a formula known in the Middle Ages. It is typically slightly lower in alcohol than Marsala (about fifteen percent compared to eighteen or twenty percent) and sometimes more robust. The Zibibbo grape is similar to Moscato, and the wine known as Moscato di Pantelleria Naturale is made mostly from Zibibbo grapes. Primitivo The Primitivo grape is rarely used by itself anymore. Some fascinating genetic research in California indicates that the grape Americans call Zinfandel is actually Primitivo, a Sicilian variety that may have been introduced by the Albanians who settled certain Sicilian communities in the sixteenth century.

It was probably taken to California in the eighteenth century by Spanish colonists or later by Sicilian immigrants. Liqueurs & Grappa Several liquors unique to Sicily are worthy of mention. Ala, made by Florio, has a distinct flavor, as does Averna, which is made in Caltanissetta. Fichera, a newcomer, is made near Mount Etna. There are also several mildly fortified almond-flavored white wines which, though not suitable for every occasion, go well with some desserts. Several Sicilian liqueurs are similar to those produced on the mainland, namely limoncello, from lemons, anisette and amaretto. There are others, such as the interesting liqueur made from prickly pears (cactus fruits) and Cynar (from artichokes). Grappa is actually a brandy distilled from grape seeds and pomace. Dry and high in alcohol, it is usually white and served as an after dinner drink. In Italy, grappa is often sold in artistically original clear glass bottles which the distillers commission specially for this liquor. Moscato & Passito Moscato is difficult to describe.

It comes from the Muscat grape, of course, or from the sub-variety known locally as Moscatello, sometimes with the addition of Corinto or Zibibbo. Some fine whites can be made from Muscat, but in Sicily and the nearby islands it is usually rendered as a golden or light amber dessert wine (popular with biscotti on St Martin's Day ), sometimes fortified or even sparkling (spumante). A few localities are famous for Moscato. Moscato and Moscato Passito are made by some distinguished wineries on the islands of Pantelleria and Lipari. As its name implies, Moscato Passito contains Appassito grapes. By tradition, vintners use a special "dry" process in production of Passito, so semi-dry grapes and even raisins find their way into the must. Unlike Marsala and Port, to which alcohol may be added, Passito is not a "fortified" wine. This brings us to the point that Passito refers as much to a winemaking process as to a specific grape variety. The areas around Siracusa and Noto, in the eastern part of Sicily, also produce fine Moscato wines.

Malvasia Malvasia is another white grape used to make a strong varietal that is golden to amber in color and slightly fortified. Bred from an older grape variety, Malvasia is grown in northeastern Sicily (near Messina) and on the island of Lipari, where it is used in the making of a wine somewhat similar to Moscato. Nero d'Avola This hearty red is Sicily's most popular non-fortified varietal, now produced by numerous Sicilian wineries. Often compared to Syrah, it is sometimes blended with other reds but usually allowed to stand on its own. A full-bodied red like this one is not easily overlooked, and dozens of wineries (including makers of " new wines ") have introduced this varietal to cash in on a profitable trend. To avoid an overpowering taste, the flavor of this wine is best when the grapes are placed in cooled vats at harvest --preferably at night-- to prevent conditions which can lead to premature fermentation. This technique, however, is employed by very few wineries.

(While we're reluctant to endorse one vintner over another, it's worth mentioning that recent vintages offered by Milazzo and Planeta stand out from dozens of other Nero d'Avolas we've tasted.) Varietal Wines Chardonnay, the world's ubiquitous varietal, is present in Sicily, but primarily from smaller vintners. In Sicily, as well as other parts of Italy, there's also Chardonnay Grappa. Native varietals are also present in the regional market and (increasingly) the international one. Inzolia, Cataratto and Grecanico are pleasant whites. The red Nero d'Avola (following section) is becoming increasingly popular. Cabernet Sauvignon is also popular, sold especially by better houses like Tasca (Regaleali). Pinot Bianco has been made in Sicily for some years. It has a flavor and texture similar to those of Chardonnay. Pinot Grigio is used to produce wines that are soft and fragrant, with more color than most other whites, but it's not as popular among Sicilian vintners as Pinot Bianco.

Trebbiano is not usually made into a varietal wine in Sicily, but this grape is used in certain wines. Frascati ranges from dry to sweet. It is not, strictly speaking, Sicilian, though these grapes are grown here. Some of the more important Sicilian grape varieties: Carricante (Catanese Bianco). A white from the Etna area. Cataratto Bianco. A white traditional in the Trapani area and used in Marsala wine, characterised by a delicate flavor and medium alcohol level. Corinto. A light white. Frappato. Strong red of uncertain origin grown in southeastern Sicily. It is genetically very similar to Gaglioppo (see below). Gaglioppo. A red of Calabrian origin frequently grown in Sicily. Similar to Frappato. Grecanico (Greco). A white so-called for its Greek origins. Genetically very similar to the Garganega grown in Veneto. Grillo. A distinctive white. Inzolia, Insolia or Anzolia. Used to create dry white table wines, either as a varietal or blended with varieties such as chardonnay. Malvasia.

A muscatel sub-variety used to make the wine of this name, but the term more properly refers to the Moscato grape (see below). Moscato. Muscat, a traditional variety widely used in Italy, in Sicily associated with the dessert wine of this name, simlilar to Malvasia. The muscatels are one of European winemaking's most widespread grape types. Nerello. Strong red grown in two varieties, Mascalese and Cappuccino. Nero D'Avola (also called 'Calabrese'). Hearty red used in some of Sicily's most popular wines. Perricone (Pignatello). Esoteric, robust red. Primitivo. Traditional red, probably Balkan in origin, original stock for the "Zinfandel" of California, to which it is genetically identical. Nowadays it is rare in Sicily. Zibibbo (Moscatellone). White (a variety of Muscat of Alexandria) possibly introduced in Sicily by the Saracen Arabs during the ninth century, used in fortified wines and alone. Sicily's muscatel mainstay.

Top of Page Denomination of Origin (appellation) Purists will tell you that Sicily has but one traditional wine region . Today great wines are produced around Sicily. A number of Sicilian wines are defined by denomination of origin (or "appellation" abbreviated D.O. or D.O.C.) as indicated on our map of wine regions. This obviously includes Marsala (usually made from a blend of several grapes), as well as the fortified Moscatos, Passitos and Malvasias (of which there are various recognised types based both on location and the grape varieties used), but also wines such as Alcamo, made in the locality of that name in the province of Trapani from Catarratto and other grapes, usually Damaschino or Grecanico. Cerasuolo di Vittoria is made in the province of Ragusa from Frappato and Calabrese, with the addition of Grosso Nero and Nerello Mascalese. Etna Whites, produced near Europe's largest active volcano, are usually made from Carricante and Catarratto, with the addition of Trebbiano or Minnella. Etna Reds and rosés are made from Nerello.

Faro (the name means "lighthouse"), as its name implies, is typical of the area around Messina. It is a Red made from two different Nerellos, as well as Nocera and Calabrese, with the addition of Gaglioppo or Sangiovese. Regaleali, made by Count Tasca, is not recognised as a D.O. wine, but the vineyards where its grapes are raised are so well known that this former fief is indicated on some Sicilian maps, and Regaleali is preferred by most Sicilians to less distinguished D.O. wines like Alcamo and Etna. This brings us to an important observation, namely that, for most Sicilian wines (Marsala being an exception), "denomination of origin," or appellation, is a meaningless designation unrelated to quality. Often, the system is abused to "dignify" otherwise mediocre wines with a particular geographic identity as though they were Burgundy or Bordeaux. Novello and Other Wines Novello is Sicily's nouveau vintage wine, sold annually just months after the grapes are harvested and pressed. It is usually robust and fruity. You're not likely to find it outside Sicily.

Sicilian vintners offer a range of vintage D.O. wines which are not varietals. Though Sicily is not famous for its sparkling wines, a few are made here. Castelmonte Frizzante, which is naturally effervescent, is similar to Spumante. "New" Wines A number of small wineries have emerged in recent years, but in many cases they have been producing wine for decades. In the 1990s, a number of grape producers whose product (grapes, must or wine) formerly supplied the Marsala industry, or was used to fortify weak French or northern Italian wines, began to make their own varietal wines for an increasingly sophisticated consumer market. These wineries now produce some of Sicily's best wines. However, the recent popularity of Sicilian varietal wines (particularly the reds), and government subsidies for wine producers, has encouraged lawyers, doctors, haberdashers and other non-vintners to make wine for sale, usually with mediocre results. These should not be confused with the wines offered by various small but distinguished family-operated wineries. To outsiders, it's not always an easy distinction.

When Italians speak of "il vino della casa," they usually mean "house wine" in the sense of the wine that a restaurant or farmer has made from local grapes, and images come to mind of strong home-made red wine that tastes like vinegar. Among Italian vintners, however, mention of a "casa" (literally "house") is like a French vintner referring to a chateau, and in Italian aristocratic parlance a "house" is a noble family. Some of Sicily's best houses make excellent wines that don't officially make their way to the consumer market, often because the quantity of a few hundred bottles is not sufficient to justify an advertising or sales campaign. These rare vintage wines are among Sicily's true treasures. Apart from these, some family firms have emerged which offer some exceptional wines. Sicily | Banfi Wines Home | Wine Education | Sicily Sicily Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and has been a major hub for travel within the region for thousands of years. Greeks called it Trinacria because of its triangular shape, and it was also nicknamed the Island of the Sun.

In addition to the Greeks, Sicily was also invaded and influenced by the Muslims, who brought their process for drying grapes into raisins, called “uva sultana” or the “Sultan’s grapes,” in their honor. In addition, the name Marsala comes from the Arab Marsah-el-Allah, or Port of Allah. Among Italy’s 20 wine-producing regions, Sicily ranks 3rd, and among its 5% DOC production, 70% are white wines. Sicily has one of the longest histories with winemaking and is believed to be the first place where the word “vino” was used. SICILY Italy’s “Island of the Sun,” as it has been known for centuries, is a brilliantly colorful and fascinating study of striking contrasts where age-old tradition blends with modern technology and rural serenity juxtaposes contemporary classic. Sicily, at the foot of the Italian boot, is separated from the southernmost point of the Italian peninsula by the Straits of Messina. It is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the country’s largest region.

Its strategic position has made it an attractive mecca for foreign civilizations such as the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Saracens, Normans, French and Spanish who used it as a stepping stone to Europe and Africa. The ancient Romans named the island Trinacria, after its triangular shape. It was re-named Sicily after the Siculi, a people who later inhabited the island. Sicily, as a region, includes a number of other islands and archipelagoes. Among them are the Lipari, Egadi and Pelagian groups and the islands of Ustica and Pantelleria. It is an autonomous region under a special statute. According to modern researchers, viticulture was practiced here before the Greek colonists settled on its shore, long before the birth of Christ. Initially, the wines were rich, sweet, heavy and high in alcohol. Today, the use of modern viticultural techniques and temperature-controlled fermentation result in delightfully fragrant, crisp whites and light, fruity reds. The wines are made primarily with native grape varieties. Whites are produced with Inzolia, Catarratto, Damaschino, Grecanico and Verdello.

Red varietals used are Perricone, Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese and such mainland varieties as Lambrusco and Barbera. Trapani is Sicily’s most important wine producing province. The dry Bianco Alcamo, the fragrant Moscato from the island of Pantelleria and the prized Marsala are the better-known offerings. Incidentally, the town of Marsala takes its name from the Arab (Saracen) “Marsah el Allah” or Port of Allah. Marsala’s rich, complex flavors rank it among the world’s most popular fortified wines. Marsala has been produced and appreciated since the days of the Romans. But it took two Englishmen, John and William Woodhouse, in the 18th century, to catapult it to worldwide prominence when they fortified Marsala to give competition to the enormously popular Madeira. Marsala is perhaps Sicily’s best known wine. Made with Catarratto and/or Grillo varieties with the possible addition of Inzolia, it may be sweet, demi-sec or dry.

It is marketed as Marsala Fine when aged for a minimum of one year; Marsala Superiore means a minimum of two years of aging; and Marsala Superiore Riserva requires a minimum of three years. Then there is the highly prized Marsala Vergine or Solera, aging in oak casks for a minimum of five years according to the solera system and Vergine Stravecchio Riserva which requires a minimum of ten years aging. Sicily is a treasure trove of other wines as well. They range from such DOC offerings as Cerasuolo di Vittoria and Etna to distinctive, popular, proprietary, non DOC wines such as Corvo, Regaleali, Segesta and rich dessert or Passito wines which include the DOC Malvasia delle Lipari and Moscato Passito di Pantelleria. Sicilian producers disdain the DOC and consequently the regional government sets its own standards. A “q” on a wine label is the indication that the wine has met the region’s “quality” criteria.

THE DOCG of SICILY CERASUOLO di VITTORIA Cerasuolo di Vittoria is a lovely red produced with no less than 50-70% Nero d’Avola and 30-50% Frappato. The wine is born in and around the town of Vittoria in Ragusa. Cerasuolo di Vittoria may not be consumed before June 1st of the year following the vintage. When all of the grapes are grown in the historic zone, the wine can be called Classico and must be aged until March 31st of the second year after the harvest. The wine is bright cherry red in color with a delicate perfume and dry, full, harmonious taste.

Question: The fortified wine 'Marsala' is produced on which island?
Answer: Sicily